"Meditation"
It’s easier said than done. Especially with people who have a very
mercurial mind, it seems next to impossible. No one discusses on the slow
transition that must happen from a "wandering mind" to "steady
mind".
Whenever, I tried to
meditate, I was only able to focus for first 10 deep breaths. After this you
would generally observe the mind wander with random topics based on past experiences.
An effective way to tackle is problem of "de-concentration" is to
give 10 mins settling period for yourself and off-course your mind.
Settling Period before Meditation:
In this period, you will try and forgive everyone. If not possible to forgive at-least, try and accept the fact and put the adverse thoughts towards them for rest until awaken again by you. This makes the "biggest" noise in your head to tone down. Just like how sand settles in a glass jar of water, your mind must settle these "noises". Keep your palm flat on a surface and feel each single touch point. Remember we have not yet start to meditate here.The feeling of feeling the touch points on your palm gives your brain enough data to process so that it wanders less now. Next, slow look at what is exactly in front of you? Observe it in a detail manner. Like the texture of it, the nature, is it clean/dirty everything. Now you have two senses being occupied with tasks you have given them to observe and feel. While these two activities are going, and data is fed to your brain. Mind slowly tries to make it a routine and tries to take you to imaginary world of useless thoughts. Act fast and start concentrating on each breath you take in and leave out.
Filling your mind:
Every breath you take in, the nostril vibration it causes. Feel
it, observe it, appreciate life. Every time you breath out imagine throwing out
all the poisonous things out of your body. When I say poisonous, it can be
either physical things like CO2 or mental things like bad thoughts.
Essentially, you are picturizing yourself to cleanse yourself with each breath
out. This is like a virtual bathing. Now you are involved in three simultaneous
activities.
Until now we have activated, three sense organs: Eyes, Nose, Skin.
Meditation:
Now, along with all above organs being busy, concentrate on all
the sounds arising around you. At this point close eyes and increase the amount
of air you are inhaling and exhaling. Each small sound that hits your ear drum.
Observe them. Continue deep inhale and exhale. Practice this for about 30
cycles. Now open your eyes, observe what you see in front of you.
Perseverance is important:
Interesting Fact:
"As little as 70 minutes a week, or 10 minutes a day, of mindfulness practice may have the same benefits as an extra 44 minutes of sleep a night."
References:
Magazine: https://www.mindful.org/magazine/